Enhancing Justice Administration in Nigeria through Information and Communications Technology, 32 J. Marshall J. Info. Tech. & Privacy L. 89 (2016)

Authors

Halima Doma

Abstract

The end of the twentieth century brought about the system of In-formation Communication Technologies (“ICT”) which represents the start of a new era. Communication is faster and more efficient than ever before. As a result, the world is brought closer together. Our means of communication and social interactions have changed dramatically. Due to the technological communication advances, we are no longer tied to our desks to make phone calls or have to travel thousands of miles for meetings. ICT enables us to contact friends, family and business colleagues at the touch of a button whatever the time, wherever the place. There are billions of daily internet users and every two days, “[w]e create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003.” ICT and the Internet are not momentary obsessions; on the contrary, courtesy of cloud computing, information and processing power are increasingly being made available as a utility, in the manner of water and electricity. There has been much coverage on the effects that ICT has had on our lives generally but it is particularly interesting to investigate how this technology is transforming the judicial sector. This article looks into the effect that ICT has had on judicial administration generally, after which the case study of Nigeria is analyzed. The way in which this technology can enhance the justice system in a country where illiteracy, insecurity, corruption, lack of training and lack of access to justice are all severe problems, will be considered before concluding that ICT stands to be vital in helping a country such as Nigeria develop not only its legal system but its economy.

Recommended Citation

Halima Doma, Enhancing Justice Administration in Nigeria through Information and Communications Technology, 32 J. Marshall J. Info. Tech. & Privacy L. 89 (2016)